Movie Review: Louder than Bombs

Opening with a new father holding out his finger to his newborn baby girl. He watches as she slowly wraps her hand around it, barely able to hold on. Even in this moment of tenderness, it is clear he still feels nervous and hesitant in his new position. Panning out we see the mother warmly watching. The scene proceeds with the Jonah, the father, realizing he forgot the food, and walking away to retrieve some for his starving wife. Clearly relieved to be out of the room, he takes stock of his new life change. Suddenly he lets a slight smile cross his lips as he waits in the lonely elevator. As a first glimpse into the film, this opener does well to represent the range of sentiments and emotions key to the film.

Louder than Bombs follows a family two years after the loss of their mother and wife, Isabelle. The father and his two sons are all grieving differently and separately. Emotional connections have become harder for each and especially difficult amongst themselves. Brought together by an upcoming exhibition of her work, buried thoughts and sentiments cloud current judgements. Isabelle, an extremely talented and brave photojournalist, was the backbone of her family, even though she was gone from it so frequently. The intense levels of responsibility to her kids, husband and self weighed down on her and ending up pulling her in seperate directions. Sentiments of absence, longing, and regret are expressed in all their glory and faults. A tender and fraught look into the reality of grief, this movie will leave you a bit worse for wear, but better for it.